Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love,
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone that soar above
Enjoy such liberty. - Richard Lovelace

Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love,
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone that soar above
Enjoy such liberty. - Richard Lovelace

Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love,
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone that soar above
Enjoy such liberty. - Richard Lovelace

in the Lord of the Rings there are no dragons.
they are mentioned of course. Smaug is mentioned, when Bilbo's adventures are remembered.
also, there are 2 dragons named when recounting parts of the Hisotry of Middle Earth: Ancalagon and Scatha.
see here: http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic. ... 6949#76949

the creatures in The Lord of The Ring are not dragons. these are the "winged steeds" of the black riders.

here's the most descriptive paragraph about them:

The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 6, page 115.

The great shadow descended like a falling cloud. And behold! it was a winged creature: if bird, then greater than all other birds, and it was naked, and neither quill nor feather did it bear, and its vast pinions were as webs of hide between horned fingers; and it stank. A creature of an older world maybe it was, whose kind, lingering in fortgotten mountains cold beneath the Moon, outstayed their day, and in hideous eyrie bred this last untimely brood, apt to evil. And the Dark Lord took it, and nursed it with fell meats, until it grew beyond the measure of all other things that fly; and he gave it to his servant to be his steed. Down, down it came, and then, folding its fingered webs, it gave a croaking cry, and settled upon the body of Snowmane, diggin in its claws, stooping its loned naked neck.

they're referred to in few ways: Winged Terror, Winged Shadow, Winged Messenger. but these references are more to the Nazgul than to their "steeds". i'm sure they don't have their own proper name.

a few more quotes:The Fellowship of The Ring, Book II, Chapter 9, page 403.

... a dark shape, like a cloud and yet not a cload, for it moved far more swiftly, came out of the blackness in the South, and sped toward the Company, blotting out all light as it approached. Soon it appeard as a great winged creature, blacker than the pits in the night....Almost above him the winged shaped swerved. There was a harsh croaking scream, as it fell out of the air, vanishing down into the gloom of the eastern shore.

(Legolas shoots the winged messenger)

The Two Towers, Book III, Chapter 5, page 101.

'...For he was a Nazgul, one fo the Nine, who ride now upon winged steeds. ...'

I think they are.. I just can't remember their names. I'm sure some LOTR fan website would have that info.

btw.. there are dragons in The Hobbit.

apart from liking the movie, i think the whole thing is a damn pity.
i'm sure J.R.R. Tolkien is "turning in his grave" as the (Hebrew) saying goes, and would be appalled if he saw what was made of his work.

now and forever, Tolkien-fandom would be split - those who liked his work before the movies and the unbelievable accompanying commercialization came along, and those from after.

yeah, next we'll see "fans" who say "i didn't read the book but saw the movies" turds...

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the land of Mordor, where the Shadows lie
-- JRRT
M.C. Escher - Reptilien

dodecahedron wrote:"fell beast of the air" etc. etc.this is a description, not a name.

if somebody "officially" called it "Fellbeast" it just shows that they have'nt read the book. see my rant 2 posts up.

Yep, I am sure you're right. Of course you'll find that more and more, people will assume that the movies' interpretation of various things is the same as Tolkein's or at least when some point is in doubt, they'll go with what the movies say.

I am not a particular fan of the books or the movies, really. I've read the Tolkein books years ago and saw the 1st and 2nd Peter Jackson movies. As long as you don't over-analyse them, and take them for what they are - good fun for the kids and not the ultimate cinematic representations of Tolkein's literary masterworks or whatever, then they're pretty good I think.

dodecahedron wrote:i'm sure J.R.R. Tolkien is "turning in his grave" as the (Hebrew) saying goes, and would be appalled if he saw what was made of his work.

I'm not so sure. I think the movies have been pretty true to the books. (At least the first two.) Also, I'm sure the "rights" to make the movies had to be purchased from Mr. Tolkien's decents. So, J.R.R Tolkien might be pleased that his work is still supporting his family.

He might be more "appalled" if his work were simply forgotten.

dodecahedron wrote:yeah, next we'll see "fans" who say "i didn't read the book but saw the movies" turds...